etobicoke york community council – june 25th, 2019 · in 2008, the toronto district school board...

EY7.4.1 60 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 201, Toronto, Ontario M4T 1N5

Tel: 416-393-0575 Fax : 416-393-9928

website : www.torontolandscorp.com

A subsidiary corporation of the TDSB

June 24, 2019

Chair and Members of the Etobicoke York Community Council Etobicoke Civic Centre 399 The West Mall Toronto, ON M9C 2Y2

Chair and Members of Committee:

Re: ITEM EY7.4

Etobicoke York Community Council – June 25th, 2019

12, 16 and 20 Cordova Avenue

Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment Application

File No. 18 257584 WET 05 OZ and 19 174970 WET 03 RH

The Toronto Lands Corporation (TLC), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), incorporated in 2008, now manages and has been appointed by the TDSB to be responsible for all real estate, land use planning, leasing and partnership matters.

At this time, TLC does not support the proposed official plan and zoning by-law amendment applications for a residential development of a 27-storey residential apartment building at 12-20 Cordova Avenue. As stated in our letter to City Planning on May 7, 2019, TLC has concerns with the proposal as it relates to the adjacent Islington Junior Middle School, which include: building massing, stepbacks and setbacks from the south property line, interface with the school site, transportation impacts, construction impacts and student accommodation.

TLC supports City staff’s review and refusal of this application. As stated in the report to Etobicoke York Community Council dated June 21, 2019, TLC shares concerns with the appropriateness of the scale of this development and how it lacks appropriate transition of built form to adjacent areas. The proposal would establish an inappropriate development precedent in the area, including inadequate building setbacks and overwhelming building massing.

For further details on TLC’s concerns, please find attached TLC’s original letter responding to the development circulation of this application.

TLC is appreciative of the developer’s early interest in meeting with TLC and hopes to continue discussions with the developer and City staff in addressing our concerns.

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Yvonne Choi, Manager of Land Use Planning at (416) 788-2659 or [email protected].

1

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.torontolandscorp.ca/

Yours truly,

Daryl Sage Chief Executive Officer Toronto Lands Corporation

c. Patrick Nunziata, Trustee, Ward 3 Mark Grimes, Councillor, Ward 3 Bianca Bielski, Senior Manager, Land Use Planning, TLC Anita Cook, Senior Manager, Real Estate, TLC Tracy Hayhurst, Superintendent Rocco Coluccio, Principal, Islington JMS Yvonne Choi, Manager, Land Use Planning, TLC Cynthia Owusu-Gyimah, City Planner Amar Singh, Senior Planner, TLC

2

60 St. Clair Avenue East, Suite 201, Toronto, ON M4T 1N5 Tel: 416-393-0573 Fax : 416-393-9928



May 7, 2019

Cynthia Owusu-Gyimah, Planner City of Toronto Planning Division – Etobicoke York 2 Civic Centre Court Toronto, ON M9C 5A3 [email protected]

Dear Ms. Owusu-Gyimah:

Re: Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment Application 18 257584 WET 05 OZ 2598325 Ontario Incorporated 12, 16 & 20 Cordova Avenue

In 2008, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) established the Toronto Lands Corporation (TLC) to be its real estate agency reporting back to the TDSB through its own Board of Directors. In June 2018, the TDSB expanded TLC’s mandate to include all TDSB-wide real estate, land use planning, asset management and leasing matters. To this end, all land use planning matters and development review is now overseen by TLC. TLC also has the authority to undertake and complete all such actions and approvals necessary to secure the interest of the TDSB.

Further to the comments provided by the TDSB on December 5, 2018, TLC has had an opportunity to review the development proposal submitted by 2598325 Ontario Incorporated (the “Developer”) for a 27-storey apartment building at 12-20 Cordova Avenue. The development site is located directly north of the Islington Junior Middle School site located at 44 Cordova Avenue (see aerial map in Appendix A). Islington Junior Middle School is a junior kindergarten to grade 8 school, which also includes a child care centre and a number of after-hours community programs.

TLC had a positive first meeting with the Developer in late March 2019, where TLC identified some preliminary concerns with the proposal as it relates to the school site. Now that TLC has had an opportunity to review the development proposal in greater detail, we wish to reiterate and elaborate on the concerns we expressed to the Developer and provide the City with our detailed comments below.

Built Form: Building Massing, Stepbacks and Setbacks from South Property Line

The four-storey base building of the development proposal is located at 2.82 to 3.07 metres from the south property line (the mutual property line with the school site), with a balcony zone projecting an additional 1.5 metres into the setback. The continuous wrap-around balcony, shown in a dark metal, increases the physical and visual mass of the building, and creates a setback of only 1.32 to 1.57 metres from the mutual property line.

The twelve storey portion of the development proposal steps back only 2.69 metres from the four-storey base building and is located at 5.50 to 5.77 metres from the south property line. The 1.5 metre balcony zone, further reduces the stepback to only 1.19 metres from the base building and is only 4.00 to 4.27 metres from the mutual property line.

1






The massing, stepbacks and setbacks of the four-storey and twelve-storey portion of the development proposal do not provide an appropriate transition to the two-storey building on the school site. At the proposed setbacks, the balconies and windows facing the school site are unacceptable from a privacy and safety perspective. These balconies and windows overlook a well-travelled pedestrian pathway located along the north edge of the school site, adjacent to the mutual property line (see photograph in Appendix A). The pedestrian pathway links Cordova Avenue to the rear yard, where students congregate in the morning before entering the school building via side and rear doors, which are the main entrances for students.

The proposed built form, particularly the portions near the school site, does not conform to the Official Plan, specifically:

“3.2.1.3. New development will be massed and its exterior façade will be designed to fit harmoniously into its existing and/or planned context, and will limit its impact on neighbouring streets, parks, open spaces and properties by:

c) creating appropriate transitions in scale to neighbouring existing and/or planned buildings for the purpose of achieving the objectives of this Plan; d) providing for adequate light and privacy;”

“4.5.2. In Mixed Use Areas development will:

c) locate and mass new buildings to provide a transition between areas of different development intensity and scale, as necessary to achieve the objectives of this Plan, through means such as providing appropriate setbacks and/or a stepping down of heights, particularly towards lower scale Neighbourhoods;”

The built form does not appropriately address the Tall Building Guidelines, specifically:

“1.3 Ensure tall buildings fit within the existing or planned context and provide an appropriate transition in scale down to lower-scaled buildings, parks, and open space.”

“3.1.1.d. For sites where the adjacent context is lower-scale and not anticipated to change, provide a transition in the base building height down to the lower-scale neighbours. Match at least a portion of the base immediately adjacent to the lower-scaled context with the scale and height of neighbouring buildings.”

“3.2.2. Place towers away from streets, parks, open space, and neighbouring properties to reduce visual and physical impacts of the tower and allow the base building to be the primary defining element for the site and adjacent public realm.”

“3.2.3 Setback tall building towers 12.5 metres or greater from the side and rear property lines or centre line of an abutting lane.”

“3.2.5.a. Avoid balcony arrangements that significantly increase the physical and apparent visual building mass. Wrap-around balconies are generally discouraged, but if included may require a smaller

2





tower floor plate or greater tower separation distances to offset the impacts on shadow, sky view, privacy, and daylighting caused by adding to the building mass.”

Interface with School Site

TLC requests more details on how the Developer proposes to treat the areas adjacent to Cordova Avenue and the school site, to ensure an attractive, comfortable pedestrian environment along Cordova Avenue and an improved interface between the properties, especially along the portion of the base building that is proposed near the pedestrian pathway on the school site.

As discussed with the Developer at the meeting in March, the mutual property line also presents a potential opportunity to engage with the Islington Junior Middle School community on an appropriate border between the properties. TLC would be pleased to facilitate a meeting between the Developer and the school principal on this.

Transportation Impacts

The Transportation Impact Study prepared by LEA Consulting identifies that the intersection of Cordova Avenue/Central Park Roadway will be operating at a failing Level of Service “F” during peak hours under future traffic conditions. No mitigations measures are proposed by either LEA Consulting or the Developer.

TLC has significant concerns, as this intersection is located at the egress for the school site, which affects school bus operations and parent pick-up/drop-off for both theschool and day care. Moreover, the traffic flow and queues for this intersection are directly in front of the school site, which raises concerns with respect to student/staff travel paths, specifically pedestrian and cycling safety.

We understand that the City has implemented a Vision Zero Road Safety Plan. TLC requests that the City and the Developer consider whether any of the measures in the Vision Zero Road Safety Plan may be appropriate in the vicinity of the school site to mitigate transportation impacts to ensure safe and connected students and staff travel paths to and from school.

Construction Impacts

As the development proposal directly abuts the school site, any and all precautions must be taken during the demolition and construction to ensure that there are no risks to the health and safety of students and staff. TLC will be requiring detailed construction management, hazard/risk assessments, and mitigation plans from the Developer, which will include measures such as, but not limited to:

• construction hoarding of a minimum height of 12 feet and safety netting to be erected during demolition and construction;

• construction site maintenance, including: tying down materials, daily sweeping, weekly washing of site and adjacent sidewalks/roadways;

• pre- and post-condition surveys of school site; • regular air monitoring for dust and diesel emissions; • traffic control during construction;

3





• best efforts to carry out any work that would have a greater impact on school operations during the summer months; and,

• a communication strategy to ensure open communications regarding timing of construction and any construction issues and concerns.

To ensure the above, TLC requests the following be included as a condition of approval, secured as a matter of legal convenience in any Section 37 agreement:

“Prior to issuance of site plan approval, the applicant shall provide to the satisfaction of the Toronto District School Board details regarding construction management, schedule and timelines, traffic management (pedestrian/vehicular/cycling), proposed sidewalk/street closures, construction equipment movement, noise/dust/air attenuation and mitigation as it relates to the school site and surrounding area.”

As the development application process progresses, TLC encourages the Developer to continue to meet with TLC staff to discuss construction management and any property and access requirements required of the school site.

Student Accommodations

As noted in the TDSB’s letter of December 2018, the projected accommodation levels at the local schools warrant the use of warning clauses on site and in agreements of purchase and sale, as a result of the cumulative impact arising from all development in the schools’ attendance areas. TLC requests that these be included as conditions of approval, secured as a matter of legal convenience in any Section 37 agreement and subsequent site plan agreement.

TLC is appreciative of the Developer’s early interest in meeting with TLC and hopes to continue discussions with the Developer and City staff in addressing our concerns.

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Yvonne Choi, Manager of Land Use Planning at (416) 788-2659 or [email protected].

Sincerely,

Bianca MV Bielski, RPP, MCIP Senior Manager, Land Use Planning Toronto Lands Corporation

c. Patrick Nunziata, Trustee, Ward 3 Rocco Coluccio, Principal, Islington JMS Tracy Hayhurst, Superintendent Daryl Sage, Chief Executive Officer, TLC Anita Cook, Senior Manager, Real Estate, TLC Yvonne Choi, Manager, Land Use Planning, TLC

4






Amar Singh, Senior Planner, TLC

5


°

CORDOVAAVE

MABELLE AVE

PROPERTY LINE

APPENDIX ADEVELOPMENT CONTEXT - STREETVIEW AND AERIAL MAPISLINGTON JUNIOR MS & 12, 16 & 20 CORDOVA AVENUE

ISLINGTON JUNIOR MS SUBJECT DEVELOPMENT12, 16 & 20 CORDOVA AVE

SUBJECT DEVELOPMENT12, 16 & 20 CORDOVA AVE

DUNDAS ST W

CENTRAL PARK RDWY

ISLINGTON JUNIOR MS

Produced by:Toronto Lands CorporationApril 2019Source:Base Map- Geospatial Competency Centre

6

etobicoke york community council – june 25th, 2019 · in 2008, the toronto district school board...

Documents